8 Shocking Porn Confessions

Real men and women let us in on the role porn plays in their relationships, including what they watch, where they watch, and who they're watching with.

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Statistics have shown that about 40 million Americans are tuned in to (and turned on by) porn, and it’s been estimated that the adult entertainment industry rakes in as much as $10 billion per year. Regardless, porn’s not exactly a topic most people are comfortable bringing up with their friends. So how do other couples feel about porn? Does it help them spice up their sex lives? Or do they watch secretly and lie to their partners about it? Here’s what eight real people had to say about porn in their relationships. We used their “porn names” (the name of their first pet and the street they grew up on) to protect the not-so innocent!

“I’ve watched porn with boyfriends in past relationships, but not with my current boyfriend. He just doesn’t like porn. I think he thinks it’s dirty. So I only watch when he’s not home, and it’s usually just on my computer and then I erase the browsing history. He’d probably think it’s weird that I watch it actually.” Sunny Maple, 28, lawyer, in a relationship for two years

“It’s about variety for me. I’m not interested in porn with women that look like my girlfriend. It’s not like I go to YouDontLookLikeMyGirlfriend.com, but yeah, I want diversity.” Felix Vista, 29, hedge fund executive, in a relationship for five years

“Porn is a way for me to talk to my boyfriend about boundaries or things I might want to do without sitting at the dinner table and being all, ‘So, what do you like?’” Kitten Moreland, 30, marketing associate, in a relationship for three years

“Before we were married, my wife discovered my stash of DVDs and she was like, ‘Let’s watch them.’ It made me a little uncomfortable because I knew what she was into, and these videos were not that. So of course she was like, ‘This is what you like?’ and I was just like, ‘Yeah,’ and she got all weird and was like, ‘Well I’m not doing that.’ It was kind of embarrassing for me.” Randy Woodwayne, 32, new business development manager, married for eight months (together for five years)

“I don’t like to watch that much, but I know my husband watches porn on his own. Once I came home and he was jerking off at the computer and got totally embarrassed. I was like, ‘It’s fine, I don’t care,’ but he was just so embarrassed. He acted like I was his mom and I had caught him. He kept saying, ‘It’s private time.’ He didn’t want to go there.” Tiger Brandywine, website manager, married for one year (together for seven years)

“It’s a nice outlet for variety. Porn’s a lot dirtier than the type of sex I have with my girlfriend. Some things I see in porn, I’d never want to do to her because I love and care for her. So it’s nice to sample new things without really doing them. Guys have weird urges.” Casey Ridge, 32, senior manager, engaged (together for two and a half years)

“I’ve watched porn a few times with my boyfriend, but we just feel silly. You don’t just stumble upon porn. You have to actively put something in or look for it, and that effort is enough to make it awkward.” Bubbles Cropsey, 24, freelance writer, in a relationship for one year

“My girlfriend got into costume play after watching porn. I think it also made her more of an exhibitionist than she ever knew she was or that she ever knew she wanted to be. Now when we’re out, out of the blue she’ll be like, ‘Let’s go sneak into the bathroom!’” Pretty Boy Dahlia, PR account supervisor, in a relationship for three years